Weaving loom for continuous weaving in which the weft is inserted by means of pirnless shuttles



March 2, 1937. R w s 2,072,159

' WEAVING LOOM FOR CONTINUOUS WEAVING IN WHICH THE WEFT IS INSERTED BY MEANS OF PIRNLESS SHUTTLES Filed May 51, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VE N TOE. YMO/VD DEW/4S H TTOENEYS March 2, 1937. R DEWAS 2,072,159

WEAVING LOOM FOR CONTINUOUS WEAVING IN WHICH THE WEFT IS INSERTED BY MEANS OF PIRNLESS SHUTTLES Filed May 51, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 /A/ l/EA Tox FA YMOA/D 3 W4 Bk/M44 I) TTOE/VEYS ?atenteri Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Raymond Dewas, A'micns, France Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,672 In France June 3, 1932 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a single-weft inserting device and a process for the insertion of the weft, in single threads, in shuttleless looms with continuous feeding of the weft by means of pirnless weft inserters, for the production of fabrics of all kinds, carpets, nets, etc., the process being applicable to horizontal, vertical, ordinary or circular looms.

A large number of looms is known in which the weft is inserted in a continuous manner from one side only of the loom, in a' double or in a single thread; numerous nippers, hooks, catching and releasing devices, shears and knives, devices for holding or bringing the weft to the shuttle, etc.

if) have been proposed.

All these elements or devices are complicated, unreliable and irregular in operation, and they are not able, in view of the speed at which the looms work, to give good results, as the majority of. these members are actuated, driven or controlled by mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or other means (cams, fingers, leve'rs, etc.), which are in their turn actuated or driven by moving parts of the loom, by the passage of the shuttle,

etc.

The object of the present invention is to make possible in a simple, rapid and reliable manner the insertion of the weft, in a single thread, in shuttleless looms with continuous feeding of the weft by weft inserters without pirns and the invention comprises a process which enables weaving to be carried with a fast selvedge or with ordinary selvedge and devices for the realization of this process with fast selvedge or with ordinary selvedge.

These improvements relate to shuttleless looms is which the weft is insertedthrough the shed and in a single weft only from one side of the loom and fed from rolls, large bobbins, or the like, placed in the same side of the looms. The said improvements can be applied to all kinds of looms of the aforementioned type, whether they are vertical, horizontal, rectilinear or circular, whether the inserter is propelled, picked or thrown by gravity or otherwise, or whether the inserter after its passage through the shed is brought back into position for the next throw, from the same side of the loom, either by following a closed circuit or by a conveyor or by any other means.

In accordance with the invention, and with regard to the process, this latter is characterized by the feature that the weft thread is stretched in front of and across the opening of the shed be tween the selvedge and the weft feeding or de- 55 livery roll, and is seized by the weft inserter after this inserter has been thrown and at the time of. its entry into the shed, and then immediately cut by a cutting device with which said thread comes into contact and is stretched upon it owing to the advance of the inserter into the shed, in such a manner that:

When the cutting device is integral with the inserter, the portion of weft thread which lies between the inserter and the point of the fell of the cloth at the selvedge is folded into the shed by the inserter itself entering the said shed, so as to form a fast selvedge, and that portion of weft thread, which lies between the inserter and the roll, from which the weft thread can run off or unwind, is passed through the same shed, as a single thread, and is released from the inserter when it comes out of the shed, and that:

When the cutting device is not integral with the inserter but is arranged independently of the same and externally and in front of the opening of the shed, between the point of. the fell of the cloth at the selvedge and the path of the inserter, the portion of weft thread which lies between the inserter and the point of the'fell of the cloth at the selvedge, remains free outside of. said selvedge, so as. to form an ordinary selvedge, the portion of weft thread which lies between the inserter and the roll, from which the weft thread can run off or unwind itself, being passed through the same shed, as a single weft, and released from the inserter when it comes out of the shed.

With regard to the pirnless inserting device, for the realization of the process, this latter consists in principle, of a pirnless weft inserter constituted of a straight or curved metallic member (curved when, for example, the loom is a circular one) having a substantially triangular or trapezoidal cross section and split in its depth, for a more or less extended part of its length, soas to form a kind of two pronged rider, which is intended to be thrown" through the shed, carrying the weft thread along, stretched across its path at the entry of the shed, the end of said thread, once seized and held fast by means of a springy clamp arranged between the prongs of. said rider, the releasing of said end of the thread held fast by the springy clamp, being eifected, when the inserter comes out of the shed, by means of a releasing blade arranged outside the shed, which passes between the prongs of the inserter and the branches of the clamp and along a longitudinal groove arranged in the face of the plain part of the body of the rider facing the reed.

In combination with the inserter, when an ordinary selvedge is wanted, a cutting blade is arranged either on the sley or on the frame in such a manner that it is brought between the above mentioned stretched portion of the weft thread and the last warp thread of the border, as well as between the fell of the cloth and the path of the inserter, so that when the inserter enters the shed carrying with it that part of the weft which was stretched between the fell of the cloth-and the thread guide placed in front of the roll, the thread comes in contact with the edge of the blade, to be cut underthe stress exerted upon it owing to the continuous advance of the inserter.

When a fast selvedge is wanted, the inserter is combined with a cutting blade, integral with it and situated between the prongs of the rider, and between the springy clamp and the face of the inserter facing the cloth.

In certain ca" also possible to combine the two a cmations, namely to have alternate ,serter with its cutting blade and an in without a cutting blade, which is then exte .aily placed at the entry .of the shed, so that only one end of a pick or weft out of two is folded into the shed.

Further it is possible if all the in'serters are provided with blades and there are ho external blades provided to take in only the end of one shoot out of two, by bringing a finger or hook near the fell of the cloth, between the selvedge and the weft thread, before the stretched portion of the weft be caught by the inserter and cut by the blade integral with the inserter. As soon as the inserter has passed and the weft has been seized and cut, the finger or hook is withdrawn in any appropriate direction in order to draw out of the shed the folded in end of the shoot, levelling being efiected later on.

In order to explain the invention and, by way of an example of the application of. these improvements, several forms of application are hereafter described and shown diagrammatically in the drawings attached to the present specification in which:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved shuttle or weft feeder;

Figure 2 is a. front elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation;

Figure 4 is a plan view from above showing the surface which slides along the reed; and

Figure 5 is a plan view from below showing the surface which faces the weaving.

Figure 6 is a plan view from above showing the principal members of. a weaving loom of the type hereabove referred to, with an inserter which moves in a closed circuit and with mechanical throwing of the said inserter by means of rollers and to which are applied the improvements according to this invention, the inserter being shown at the beginning of its travel through the shed.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the inserter near the end of its travel through the shed.

Figure 8 is a side view at the end of the warp on the side where the inserter is introduced.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of Figure 6 i1- lustrating the case where the inserter is not provided with a cutting blade, the latter being ar- V ranged on the loom.

According to Figures 1 to 5, the inserter I consists of a straight piece of metal, or a bent piece if, for example, the loom is circular, the said piece having a triangular or trapezoidal cross section for preference, and being divided for part of its length into two prongs 2 by a central slit 3 in its depth,-while the rear part which is not split is provided with a groove 4 on its upper face which comes into contact with the reed.

At the bottom of the slit 3, a flexible nipper 5 which is shaped like a hairpin is arranged, the flexible arms of which are pointed in the same direction as the prongs of the rider which is formed by the inserter and which are in contact with each other over a large part of their length, so that they can grip and hold the end of theweft' thread which is inserted between them when the shuttle traverses the shed, the introduction of this weft thread between the arms of the nipper 5 being facilitated by the ends of the latter being bent apart at 5', while the loop-shaped head 5 of this nipper is bent downwards as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9, for a reason which will be explained later.

The device used for severing the weft thread at the moment when the inserter enters the shed, comprises cutting blade 6 carried by the inserter I and arranged at the the nipper 5, if it is desired to weave with a selvedge, as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7. Instead of or along with the blade 6 carried by the inserter I, it is possible to use a cutting blade 6' shown in Figure 9 mounted and arranged on a part of the loom and near the point of the fell of the cloth.

Figures 6, 7, and 8 show a horizontal loom with mechanical throw for the inserter, which is given. by way of an example, and to which are applied the improvements according to the present ini vention; in these figures I is an angle iron forming the breast beam and situated very near the fell of the cloth, so that there will be a regular opening of the shed, 8 is the reed between its cap members 8' (Fig. 8) and 9 are small rods arranged along and against the reed with which they are firmly connected in order to regulate the divided sheets for the warp which have been given an additionally wider opening.

I0 and II are heddle frames, l2 the warp threads, I3 the woven tissue and I4 the extreme point of the fell of the cloth. I5 is the weft feeder bobbin, connected with the last shoot at the point of the fell of the cloth.

On the side where the thread enters the shed, and abutting on the extreme end of the angle iron I, there is arranged the orifice of the passage I6 of the conduit member I1 of the circuit by which the inserter I is thrown into the shed.

Included in this conduit, towards its outlet, is the throwing device which drives the inserter I, through the passage I6 of the conduit member II, at the end of its return circuit.

This device consists of two discs I8 and I9 ar' ranged in the same plane, the contacting edges of which fill the passage I6 of the conduit member I1.

The disc I8 is arranged on a fixed axle 20 and its rim is provided with a groove the shape of! which corresponds with the triangular section of the inserter I; the other disc II! has a flat rim which is superimposed on the groove of the disc' I8, it being optional to cover these rims with a covering of plastic material or not.

The axle 23 of the disc I8 is movable and arranged in guide blocks 24 which are pressed by the spring 25 to traverse in slide faces 26 arranged on the two side members 21 which hold,

the discs I8 and I9, the rotation being ensured bottom of the slit 3 under pinions associated with in spite of the displacement of the axle 23 of the movable disc I9, by giving the teeth of thepinions a sumcient height to keep them in mesh in spite of these displacements.

The device for receiving the weft inserter on its emerging from the shed, arranged in close proximity to the selvedge and consists simply of the conduit member I1 and its passage I6, into the opening of which the inserter penetrates as shown in Figure '7 in order to continue its progress, guided in the said passage, according to the continuous closed circuit. To provide for a closed circuit the straight portions of the two conduit members II shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be connected with semi-circular members encircling the sides of the loom and interconnected by another straight member. This device is not shown in the drawings. Said conduit may be connected to form a continuous path or circuit.

For the purpose of severing the weft thread after each shoot according to whether a selvedge is to be made or not, the following means are provided: I

Shoot with selvedge: (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) the inserter I is provided with a cutting blade 6. When thrown by the disc device I8, I9 the inserter issues from the passage I6 and enters the shed where it meets the weft thread stretched across the shed, between the extremity of the last shoot at the point of the fell of the cloth I4 and the guide eyelet 31 for the thread, fixed to the sley 8.

The stretched thread and the inserter I are so placed that the thread will engage between the two prongs 2 of the inserter I in the slit 3 from which it is introduced between the prongs of the clamp 5 which grip it and hold it stretched up to the point of the fell of the cloth.

On account of the excessively high speed of the inserter which is propelled out of the conduit member II, the thread, bending under the clamp, comes into contact with the edge of the blade 6 and is cut in such a way that the part of the thread which forms the end of the preceding shoot is bent back into the interior of the shed as shown 7 at I5 (Fig, '7) and thus forms the selvedge.

Shoot without selvedge: (Fig. 9) the inserter I has no blade 6; the latter is arranged at 6 near the point of the fell of the cloth. The thread, stretched between the inserter which has gripped it at its entrance into the shed by means of its clamp 5, and the point of the fell of the cloth, comes into contact with the blade 6 (Figure 9) and is thus cut, the end of the preceding shoot thus remaining outside at I5".

In order to release or detach the end of the weft thread caught betwen the springy prongs of the clamp 5, when the inserter emerges from the shed after having passed the shoot, a small flexible blade 38 (Figs. Sand 7) is arranged at the entrance of the passage I6 of the conduit member I! which penetrates into the slit 3, between the prongs 2 of the inserter at its entrance into the passage I8 and afterwards between the prongs of the springy clamp 5 which are forced apart by the thickness of this member 38 and thus allow the end of the thread to slide out so that the thread is released. This small blade 38 at the same time cleans the clamp 5 by removing any dirt which may have accumulated there.

In order that the inserter can penetrate into the conduit member I1 for the purpose of continuing its circuit, it is necessary that the small blade 38 should not act as a stop. For this purpose the head of the hairpin-shaped clamp is bent as shown at 5" (Figs. 4, 6, 7, and 9) so that it is located under the end of the small blade which therefore cannot stop it; in the same way the upper 'face of the plain end of the inserter which has the groove 4 provided for this purp e, allows the end of the blade to slide through it without stopping the rider.

Finally, in order to economize weft thread, and being given the nature and the shape of the weft feeders which are employed, it will be found suflicient to give to the sley 8 a very short travel, of about 2-3 cm. and preferably with a slowing down or extended rest period at the end of its backward movement.

For this purpose the movement is preferably ensured by cam propulsion or by an eccentric with a groove.

It is understood that alterations, improvements or modifications can be eflected or other equivalent means used without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the prongs of the springy clamp 5 could be separate pieces, the ends opposite to those marked 5' being of similar shape.

In the same way it will be possible, by reducing the thickness of the shuttle between the surface thereof which slides along the reed 8 and the surface which faces the fell of the cloth to obtain an inserter not having a triangular but a trapezoidal cross section.

What I claim is:-

1. In a loom for continuously feeding the thread forming the weft having a shed and a bobbin placed on one side of the loom,'the weft thread running from the fell of the cloth to said bobbin and being stretched in front of said shed from the selvedge of the last pick at the fell of the cloth to said bobbin; 9. single-weftinserting device comprising a weft inserter adapted to grip said weft thread in its leading end, means for passing said weft inserter through said shed, a cutting blade mounted in said weft inserter and so positioned that the doubled weft thread after said weft inserter has penetrated a predetermined distance into the shed will be stretched across said blade and severed thereagainst by the tension produced by further penetration of said inserter, whereby the part of the weft thread between the weft inserter and the selvedge is bent inside the shed and the part of the weft thread between the weft inserter and the bobbin is passed through said shed as a single weft, and means for releasing the last-mentioned part of the weft thread from said weft inserter after it has passed through the shed.

2. In a single-weft-inserting device, a weft inserter comprising a body having the shape of a two-pronged rider, said body being angular in cross-section, and a resilient clamp having the shape of a hairpin and. situated between the prongs of said body, said clamp having prongs extending in the direction of the prongs of said body and being in contact with each other for a large part of their length, and a head which is bent with respect to the last-mentioned prongs, a rear surface of said body being provided with a central groove.

3. In a single-weft-inserting device, a weft inserter comprising a body having the shape of a two-pronged rider, said body being angular in cross-section, a resilient clamp having the shape of a hairpin and situated between the prongs of said body, said clamp having prongs extending in the direction of the prongs ofsaid body and being in contact with each other for a large part of their length, and a head which is bent with respect to the last-mentioned prongs, a rear surface of said body being provided with a central groove, and a cutting blade carried by said body and situated between the prongs of said body and under said clamp.

4. In a loom for continuously feeding the thread forming the weft having a'shed and a bobbin placed on one side of the loom, the weft thread being fed from said bobbin and being stretched in front of said shed from the selvedge of the last pick at the fell of the cloth to said bobbin; a single-weft-inserting device comprising a weft inserter adapted to grip said weft thread and comprising a body having the shape of a two-pronged rider, said body being angular in cross-section, and a resilient clamp having the shape of a hairpin and situated between the prongs of said body, said clamp having prongs extending in the direction of the prongs of said body and being in contact with each other for a large part of their length; means for passing said weft inserter through said shed, a cutting device adapted to cut said weft thread when said weft inserter enters the shed, whereby the part of the weft thread between the weft inserter and the selvedge is cut and the part of the weft thread between the weft inserter and the bobbin is passed through said shed as a single weft, and a weft releasing blade situated at the exit of the shed and adapted to penetrate between the resilient prongs of the clamp when the weft inserter'leaves the shed.

5. In a loom for continuously feeding the thread forming the weft having a shed and a bobbin placed on one side of the loom, the weft thread being fed from said bobbin and being stretched in front of said shed from the selvedge of the last pick at the fell of the cloth to said bobbin; a single-weft-inserting device comprising a weft inserter adapted to grip said weft thread in its leading end, means for passing said weft inserter through said shed, a cutting blade mounted on said loom adjacent but outside the selvedge edge, between the end of the fell of the cloth and the path of the weft inserter and so positioned that the thread caught by the weft inserter will be stretched across said blade and severed thereagainst by the tension produced by said weft inserter, whereby no solid selvedge is formed and whereby the part of the weft thread between the weft inserter and the bobbin is passed through said shed as a single weft, and means for releasing said part of the weft thread from said weft inserter after it has passed through theshed.

6. In a device for the insertion of the weft, in single threads, in looms with continuous feeding of the weft by means of pirnless weft inserters; a weft inserter having the shape of a rider with two prongs, and a flexible nipper having the shape of a hairpin and situated between the prongs of the rider, said nipper having arms pointing in the same direction as the prongs of the rider and being in contact with each other over a part of their length, and a head portion bent away from the fell of the cloth, the solid face of the inserter which slides along the reed, being provided with a groove.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, comprising a cutting member formed by a cutting blade and situated between the prongs of the weft inserter and between the flexible nipper and the face of the inserter opposite to the fell of the cloth.

8. A device in accordance with claim 6, comprising a releasing device formed by a flexible blade at the outlet of the shed, said blade gradually penetrating between the flexible arms of the nipper as the inserter comes out of the shed and passing into the groove of the inserter to leave the same after the release of the thread. 9. A device in accordance with claim 6, comprising a releasing device formed by a flexible blade fixed at the outlet of the shed, and a cutting member formed by a cutting blade situated independently of the inserter at the entrance to the shed between the end of the last weft pick passed at the point of the fell of the cloth and the path of the weft inserter.

10. Process for weaving fabrics with a fast selvedge edge comprising the steps of stretching the weft thread in front of the opening to the shed going from the selvedge to the weft bobbin, gripping the weft thread by an inserter and moving said inserter through the shed, thereby folding said weft thread into the shed, cutting the doubled shoot within the shed adjacent the selvedge edge from tension developed by its inserter while it is being inserted, folding the portion attached to to the selvedge into the shed by engagement with the inserter whereby a fast selvedge is formed and the other portion running to the bobbin is pulled through the shed as a single weft thread.

RAYMOND DEWAS. 

